Upon my stoop there was silenceNo wind howled, no violenceBewildered I dug into SQL once moreUse a cursor, or query, as my eyes just grew wearyI remembered a post I'd read once before"No cursors, you fool" screamed NR in my head"use sql instead or post here no more"

12 minutes into my queryI began to get learyof the design that I thoughtwas so good once beforea quick index and it was runningwith a temp table for summingbut that was before I had answered my door

Now I sit here just rereading Posts graz thought of deletingand FAQ's no one bothers with anymoreMaybe it will be in B O Lwhere all of life's answers are stored

Then with a start, I awoke from my dreamwith imprints on my face, from my trusty keyboardIt was all just a dream I exclaimed with a screamAs I switched on the light and checked the front door

A small yellow noteFrom my good friend Rob VolkThe words still echo in my mind like that day by the door"From my home in White PlainsI have gone to great painsto secure a reputation on sqlteam like no other before.Although you post now and thenI've one more question my friendWould you please tell me What was your damn score!"

Once upon a midnight dreary,Mike and Shawn, their eyes all bleary,Wrote a poem on SQL Team that made the late night readers roar -A wondrous poem, a work so stunning,In its lyrics and its cunning -While their query was still running, running on forevermore,"F--- this query", they both muttered, "running on forevermore!"Should have run this s#it before!

While they nodded, nearly nappingThe server suddenly went crapping,Making smoke and noise like slapping, spewing sparks upon the floor"What the hell?" said Shawn, entreating,"Mike, what’s wrong?" he said, repeating,Then he really started beating, beating on the server moreOn the smoking, flaming server that simply couldn’t work no moreWill run that query nevermore!

"Idiot!" said Shawn, all foaming,"Moi?" said Mike, then started moaning,"I forgot the WHERE clause Shawn, just like that UPDATE from before!""Duh!" said Shawn, "you stooooopid moron!""A billion rows, that just won’t run on""Our little server with no Xeon, Xeon chips we can’t afford!"(due to cuts and budget crunches, requests for upgrades were ignored - Endless budgets are no more!)

Finally they started sleepingAfter lots and lots of weepingWondering how in the hell they’ll get their projects out the doorWith no server and no money,Life’s no longer milk and honey,"Shut up Volk! This isn’t funny!" - funny, it sure makes me roar!Now they’ve got the same resources that I’ve always had before –Nothing, man! ...and nothing more!

Once upon a midnight drearywhile I laboured, weak and weary, Over many a view and vitrious line of dubious fare, While I coded, nearly whining, suddenly there came a pining,As of some one madly signing, signing off my contract dare. "'Tis some manager," I muttered, "shining for my mental flare- Only this, and nothing rare

==========================================Cursors are useful if you don't know sql.